Loading ...Archive for the ‘Chickens’ Category
An End to the Egg Mini-Recession?
We have been chicken farmers at the Kuegler mini-farm for over 18 months. During this time, we have had many exciting moments: a runaway chick, the first egg, the chickens' first encounter with snow. However, in early December, we realized that our chickens' time with us may be ending sooner than planned.
Although we like having chickens, our decision to get a flock of eighteen was for eggs. We didn't want eighteen new pets, we wanted chickens that would provide us with eggs. So, in late November when our girls' egg production dropped from six or seven eggs per day...
First Snow 2009
The first snowstorm of the 2009-2010 winter arrived at the Kuegler mini-farm during the night. Inside the house there were great cheers at the school cancellation announcement. However, outside in the coop, the reaction was quite different.
Entering the chicken pen, I found at least six inches of snow covering the ground. As I opened the coop door, I was greeted in the typical manner with the girls crowding the entry, ready to jump out. However, seeing the white coating on the ground, they stopped short.
Thankfully the chickens reacted quickly, and no one fell out of the coop and into the...
Pepe Le Pew…
In New Hampshire, one of the biggest pest problems is skunks. They tend to roam around, digging up gardens and harassing people and pets. So, I have dealt with my fair share of the little buggers.
In the cities, the skunks are definitely worse. My dad lives in one of the cities of New Hampshire, and at his house, the skunks are more obvious and populous than anywhere else I've been. They just wander into yards, eating grubs and trash, while occasionally spraying things.
Our biggest problem is the fact that they love to live under our shed. The skunks would build...
Crazy Kuegler Family Mini Farm
Well, as one of the Kuegler Mini Farm farmers, I have seen some of the girls more recent antics. . .and THEY'RE NUTTY CHICKENS!!
First of all, there is now a very defensive mother in the coop. She is one of the Black Wyandottes, and if you go near her when she is on her egg, she squawks loudly, flaps her wings, and attacks you. Also, she is very nervous when around humans. To get some pictures for this article, one of my sisters and my brother had to coax her out while I photographed. Well, she is being a good...
Local Wildlife
A few minutes ago, literally, I was watching a deer ramble through my backyard. In New Hampshire, the deer is on the pinnacle of our very interesting, and diverse, wildlife.
Our yard has a variety of features that attract the local animal populace. First off, we have a good-sized yard (one or more acres). We live along a river, so the back end of our yard meets the river. The other feature is that we have a mini-farm of fifteen chickens (to read about their latest antics/cuteness, read Spring Is Here) that tend to attract many unwanted guests.
We have many guests due...
A few minutes ago, literally, I was watching a deer ramble through my backyard. In New Hampshire, the deer is on the pinnacle of our very interesting, and diverse, wildlife.
Our yard has a variety of features that attract the local animal populace. First off, we have a good-sized yard (one or more acres). We live along a river, so the back end of our yard meets the river. The other feature is that we have a mini-farm of fifteen chickens (to read about their latest antics/cuteness, read Spring Is Here) that tend to attract many unwanted guests.
We have many guests due...